# Do you really believe that "Life is too short"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824 "2005-08-13T03:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/41 "2005-08-14T03:59:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Life is too short to be funny and too long to be serious. > [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I don’t think life is too short, but it can often be too short to do X, Y, or Z. I’m with them. 🙂 Life is neither too short nor too long in general, but it’s too short for petty bullshit, never stopping to smell the flowers, spending time in a job that you hate, etc. The kinds of things that can make life _feel_ too short or too long. ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/42 "2005-08-15T00:37:30Z")
Misnomer beat me to the keyboard 🙂 I’m 43 and only in the last year or so have I truly realized that life is too short to waste on the bullshit. I’ve always “walked to the beat of a different drummer” but the **real** truth of it is that I’ve wasted too much of my lifes energy trying to fit my different self into the expectations of others. I don’t do that anymore. I made a deliberate decision a year and a half ago that I was finished with that segment of my life and not so quietly closed the door on it and the toxic people who insist that I should be a round peg when I’m obviously a delightful triangle. The weight on my shoulders is gone now … my life is filled with joy on a daily basis. I make a decision each and every day that TODAY is going to be great and I do my best to make that happen, not only to myself, but to those I’m with. I’m grateful I came to this peaceful place at 42 instead of 52 or 62, and a bit sorry that I didn’t get here sooner, but I won’t dwell on that and instead make the rest of my long or short life count for something. Too short? Maybe, but I’ll take every second I can get. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/43 "2005-08-15T00:53:40Z")
> [@](#): > > only in the last year or so have I truly realized that life is too short to waste on the bullshit. I’ve always “walked to the beat of a different drummer” but the real truth of it is that I’ve wasted too much of my lifes energy trying to fit my different self into the expectations of others. I could have written this, only this is coherent, concise and poignant. ---
**Author:** ![whatmove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecc23a/32.png) [@whatmove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatmove)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/44 "2005-08-15T02:51:38Z")
Life isn’t too short or too long. Everyone lives a full life. Everyone dies. I’m fine with that. -wm ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/45 "2005-08-15T03:10:17Z")
Mine is already too long. I never expected to live past 25, so now I don’t know what to do! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/46 "2005-08-15T04:23:24Z")
My concerns about living a long time is that I’ve seen way too many old people warehoused in nursing homes, who if asked would take an “accidental” overdose of some medication any day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![gfloyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d2c977/32.png) [@gfloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gfloyd)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/47 "2005-08-15T08:24:15Z")
Life isn’t too short, but it is too short for some things. It’s too short for regret. And for wondering what might have been. I’m only just 20 and I’ve had my fill of both. The way I see if, life is balanced on a sword’s edge. I feel as though I’m called to live every moment as though it were my last and to act like I’m going to live forever. Immortality likely isn’t in the cards for me, but neither is this post likely to be my last mortal act. There lies the sword. I’m only just learning that balance. I used to fear life and death equally. Now I have everything to live for: a career that I love, friends that will be there through anything for me, a man that loves me … I’m glad I found all of this at 20, not 40. I think if I had, I’d feel much differently than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/48 "2005-08-15T12:27:19Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Mine is already too long. I never expected to live past 25, so now I don’t know what to do! Send me all your money! It will be a very zen like thing to do and help you focus on a goal. My address is: Shirley Ujest ( LaWanDuh Smith-Jones) c/o Shang-Ri-La Trailer Park Escanaba, MI ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/49 "2005-08-15T12:33:09Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > My address is: > Shirley Ujest > ( LaWanDuh Smith-Jones) > c/o Shang-Ri-La Trailer Park > Escanaba, MI HA! I knew you were a Yooper. No more hiding under that troll disguise, Shirley! I have your address now! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/50 "2005-08-15T12:39:54Z")
[The male side of our family](http://www.dayoopers.com/glry01a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/51 "2005-08-15T13:30:43Z")
I don’t think life is too short. I just think people watch too much TV. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/52 "2005-08-16T01:30:46Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > I don’t think life is too short. I just think people watch too much TV. Bingo. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/53 "2005-08-16T02:56:02Z")
> [@ccwaterback](#): > > Bingo. No, TV … aren’t you paying attention? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/54 "2005-08-16T14:30:29Z")
I just wish people didn’t spend so much time and effort making life so scary. ---
**Author:** ![Barely\_Adequate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@Barely\_Adequate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barely_Adequate)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/55 "2005-08-16T22:52:16Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Too damn short and some parts are unnecessarily cruel. I think the end is too damn long for most. My mom would agree with you completely. She died last year two weeks shy of her 99th birthday. Although frail, feeble and legally blind, she was actually in far better health than most people her age. Mentally, she was still relatively alert and lucid. But in her own words, “you don’t want to live much past 80”. She often cited the “law of diminishing returns”. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/56 "2005-08-17T00:56:01Z")
I don’t have anything substantive to contribute to this rather interesting and touching thread, but… the phrase “life’s too short to [do something annoying]” is a pet peeve of mine. I mean, suppose you say “life’s too short to drink instant coffee”, what you’re really saying is something like “I like non-instant coffee enough more than instant coffee that that’s something that is worth spending my time and money on”. It has nothing to do with how long or short your life is, except in a rather extreme case where you know you’re dying tomorrow, so you want to spend your last day in luxury. And even then, suppose you knew you had a year to live… you might decide that what you really wanted to do was spend a month in Europe, so you needed to save all your money for that trip, meaning that your budget for small luxuries like good coffee actually DECREASED because of how short life was. If you don’t want to drink instant coffee, don’t, but don’t pretend it has anything to do with the length of your lifespan. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/57 "2005-08-17T01:30:16Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > If you don’t want to drink instant coffee, don’t, but don’t pretend it has anything to do with the length of your lifespan. Dude, it’s called hyperbole. Calm down. Besides, life’s too short to take everything literally! ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824/58 "2005-08-17T01:52:10Z")
I used to have a volunteer job where I worked with a lot of teenagers. It always seemed odd to me that many of them complained that life was too short, yet they also complained that life was boring. This reminded me of the old joke in which someone gripes about a restaurant: “The food is terrible, and the portions are too small.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-really-believe-that-life-is-too-short/316824.md?page=2)